Machines for sorting statistical cards



March 6, 956 N. G. HOLDEN 2,737,305

MACHINES FOR SORTING STATISTICAL CARDS Filed Oct. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

By JLLL. 113.14

Attorney March 6, 1956 HOLDEN 2,737,305

I MACHINES FOR SORTING STATISTICAL CARDS Filed Oct. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GZ Attorney United States Patent MACHINES FOR SORTING STATISTICAL CARDS Norman Geotfrey Holden, Carshalton, Engiand, assignor to Powers-Samas Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a British company Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,140

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 27, 1949 Claims. (Cl. 214-11 This invention relates to machines for sorting statistical cards and more particularly to mechanism for determining the particular card receivers to which cards are delivered after being fed one at a time from a pack contained in a magazine.

The invention contemplates a sorting machine provided with two card magazines disposed at opposite sides of the machine and a plurality of card receivers are disposed between the magazines. Cards are fed one at a time from the magazines and are delivered to a selected one of the card receivers, at least four of which are arranged in pairs each pair being for the reception of cards fed from only one of the magazines. In such a machine means has been associated with a pair of receivers associated with one magazine to permit the machine to be so operated that cards fed from that magazine can be received alternately by the two receivers associated therewith while the other of the magazines is either rendered inactive. or no cards are placed therein.

It is the main object of the present invention to increase the capabilities of such a machine by providing means whereby it can be selectively conditioned so that cards fed from one only of the magazines are received alternately by the pair of receivers associated therewith while no cards are fed from the other magazine or it can be so conditioned that cards can be fed simultaneously from each of the magazines and received alternately in the pairs of receivers associated with the respective magazines.

According to the invention there is provided for sorting statistical cards a machine in which two magazines each have a pair of card receivers associated therewith, the receivers of each pair being disposed one in advance of the other, and in which means is provided to feed statistical cards one at a time from each magazine to the receivers associated therewith and a positively operable deflector associated with the first receiver of each pair determines the receiver of a pair into which a card is received, characterized in that control mechanism is provided selectively to condition one or both of said deflectors to permit the alternate reception of cards into the first and second receivers of a pair.

In one embodiment of the invention the control mechanism comprises a pivotal support for each deflector, an operating element for each said member to effect angular movement of the support associated therewith an actuating element to engage and operate one of said operating elements, and a coupling device to connect said actuating element with the other of said operating elements. In a preferred constructionthe coupling device includes a trip device to interrupt the coupling device so that the alternate delivery of cards is effected only to the pair of receivers. the operating element for which is engaged by said; actuating element, manually pre-settable means being provided to condition the trip device to an active or inactive position.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described 2,737,305 Patented Mar. 6, 1956 zines 1 and 2 from the bottom of each of which cards may be fed one at a time by a reciprocable picker, 1a, 2a, respectively. The kind of mechanism employed for feeding cards one at a time from the bottom of the magazine is well known in the art and includes picker actuating arms 1b, 2b operated by cams 10, 20 carried by feed shafts 1d, 2d driven through beveled gearing by a common drive shaft 9 which may be rotated by any suitable source of power.

The cards delivered from the magazine 1 can be received in one or other of a pair of card receivers 3, 4 and the cards delivered from the magazine 2 can be delivered into one or other of a pair of card receivers 5, 6. The cards as they are fed out of the magazines are engaged by pairs of feed rollers 7, 8 which are rotated from the main drive shaft 9 for the machine, Figure 2, in well known manner.

The receivers 3 and 5 have associated therewith card deflectors 1t 11 mounted respectively on pivotal supports shown as spindles 12, 13 the deflectors each having a curved undersurface 14 which, when the deflectors are raised from the positions shown in Figure 1, engages a card being delivered from the respective magazine and guides it into the receiver 3 or 5 as the case may be. When, however, the deflectors are in the positions shown in Figure 1, the upper surfaces 15 thereof are so positioned that the card being fed by the feed rollers is moved over these upper surfaces 15 and is delivered into the card receiver 4 or 6 according to the magazine from which the card has been fed. The arrows in Figure 1 indicate the directions in which the cards move from the magazine to the receivers.

The deflector 10 for the receiver 3 has associated therewith means for operating the deflector so that cards fed from the magazine 1 are received alternately in the receivers 3 and 4. To this end the spindle 12 is provided with an operating element, shown as a pin 16, which is secured to the spindle and on being operated effects angular movement of the spindle. The pin 16 is arranged to be engaged by an actuating element 17 pivoted at 18 to a plate 19 secured to the frames 26, 21 of the machine. The actuating element 17 is urged to inactive position against a stop 22 by a spring 23, Figure 3. The actuating element 17 is provided with a projection 24 which is engageable by'a selected one of a number of pins 25 supported by a pair of rotatable discs 26, 27, Figure 2, the discs being'provided with a boss 28 which is secured to a spindle 29 supported in a bearing 30 secured to the undersurface of the plate 19. To the lower end of the spindle 29 issecured a worm wheel 31 which meshes with a corresponding gear 32 on the main shaft 9. The pins 25 are provided with two peripheral, grooves 33, 34 for engagement by a detent ring 35 which is urged towards the grooves 33, 34 by a spring garter 36 which extends completely round the detent ring.

The pins 25 are arranged to be manually set to engage with the projection 24 to effect operation of the actuating element 17 and to this end they are moved from their inactive positions, shown in Figure 2, to an active position. From Figure 2 it will be seen that when the pins are in the inactive position the detent ring 35 engages in the groove 34 of a pin and when the pin is set to active position it is depressed so that the detent ring 35 is located in the groove 33. When the machine is in operation the spindle 29 is rotated from the main shaft 9 and when the projection 24 on the actuating element 17 engaged by an active pin 25 the actuating element 17 is rocked clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, about its pivot 18, the operating member 16 is engaged by the actuating element, and the spindle 12 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction so that the surfaces 14 of the deflector become operative to engage and direct a card into the receiver 3. When the machine is conditioned for operation in this manner the pins are so set that the deflector 10 will be actuated to deflect each alternate card fed from the magazine 1 into the receiver 3 while permitting the other cards to be delivered into the receiver 4. it is of course understood that the driving ratio between the spindle 29 and the main shaft 9, as determined by the Worm gears 31, 32, is such as to rotate the spindle one complete revolution for a number of revolutions of the main drive shaft corresponding to the number of pins 25 carried by the discs 26 and 27, thereby advancing one of the pins 25 through deflector actuating position for each successive card feeding operation. Accordingly, should it be desired to deflect cards having other than alternate successive relation to each other, for example every third card, such may be accomplished in the embodiment herein disclosed, which employs six pins 25, by setting two diametrically opposed pins 25 to their active positions. In the event deflection of cards having still other successive relation to each other is desired, it should be understood that discs 26, 27 carrying a different number of pins than as shown herein, and driven in appropriate ratio to the main drive shaft, may be provided for such purposes.

When it is desired that cards may be simultaneously delivered from the magazines 1 and 2 and delivered alternately to the respective receivers 3, 4 and 5, 6 there is provided a coupling device whereby the deflectors 1i) and 11 are coupled for simultaneous operation. The coupling device comprises a link 37 to one end of which is secured an abutment 38 for operating the spindle 13 sup porting the deflector 11. The abutment 38 is arranged to engage an operating element, shown as a pin 39, extending laterally from an arm 40 secured to the spindle 13, the arm 46 being normally retained in inactive position against a stop 41 by a spring 42.

The opposite end of the link 37 is connected with the actuating element 17 by a lost motion device which consists of a slot 43 in the link 37, a pin 44 secured to the actuating element '17 and extending upwards through the slot 43, and a spring 45 which tends to draw the pin 44 towards the inner end of the slot 43 as indicated in Figure l.

The coupling device includes a trip device to interrupt it so that if desired alternation of cards may be effected only to the receivers 3 and 4 while no cards are fed from the magazine 2. The trip device comprises a rotatable element 46 freely pivoted on a pin 47, Figure 4, which is fixed in the boss 47a by the screw 47b. The boss 47a is secured to the plate 19. Secured to the rotatable element 46 for rotation therewith is a plate 48 from which depends a pin 49. As shown in Figure 1 the rotatable member 46 is shown in the o position in which the coupling is tripped, the rotatable member 46 having been rotated against the action of its controlling spring 50, Figures 1 and 3, so that the pin 49 on plate 48 is engaged in a groove formed in the end of the link 37 thus retaining the link 37 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. With the rotatable member in the o position as just described the coupling formed by the link 37 is rendered inactive and accordingly when the actuating member 17 is locked about its pivot 18 by a pin 25 the pin 44 moves lengthwise in slot 43 against the action of spring .45 and the link 37 accordingly is not operated.

With the rotatable member in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 the plate 48 is located by a pin 51 ex tending upwards from the plate 19, the pin 51 being the spring pin to which one end of the spring 50 is anchored. As can be seen from Figure 3 the pin 51 is abutted by a shoulder 52 formed in a plate 48 and when the rotatable member 46 is rotated to the on position to couple the operating member 39 for operation by the actuating member 17 the plate 48 is rotated so that a further shoulder 53 is moved into engagement with the pin 51 and the depending pin 49 is moved out of engagement with the end of link 37.

With the operating member 39 coupled to the actuating member 17, when a pin 25 engages the projection 24 on the actuating member 17 the latter is rotated clockwise abut its pivot 155 to effect the counter-clockwise operation of the spindle 12, as described above, and the pin 44 is engaged by the opposite end of the slot 43 so that the movement of the actuating member 17 causes the link 37 to be moved lengthwise to the right as viewed in Figure 1. Accordingly the abutment 38 engages the pin 39 and rocks the spindle 13 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, so that the deflector 11 is raised in a manner similar to that in which the deflector 10 is raised by the operating member 16. Accordingly when the two deflectors are raised as a result of the operation of the actuator 17 cards fed from the magazines 1 and 2 will be delivered respectively into the receivers 3 and 5. With the coupling device conditioned to operate in the manner just described it will be understood that cards fed from the magazine 1 will be received alternately in the receivers 3, 4 and that cards which are fed from the magazine 2 will be received alternately in the receivers 5, 6.

I claim:

1. In a device for sorting statistical cards, a pair of independent card sorters each comprising a card magazine, a plurality of card receivers associated with each magazine, means for feeding the cards from both card magazines to the associated card receivers, a common drive for'operating the card feeding means, card deflector means associated with at least one of the card receivers of each sorter, a manually presettable and repeatedly effective operating element for controlling the operation of the deflector means in accordance with the setting thereof and comprising a rotary disc associated with one of the card sorters, a driving connection therefor operated by the common drive for turning the disc in synchronism with the card feeding means, a plurality of pins carried by the disc in spaced relation near the edge thereof ar-.

ranged to be manually adjustable respectively into operative and non-operative position, a pivoted lever disposed in the path of the operatively positioned pins so as to be tripped thereby in predetermined relation with the ard fee ing means, and mean u d y the mov m nt of said lever for operating the card deflector means of both sorters.

2. In a device for sorting statistical cards, a pair of independent card sorters each comprising a card magazine, a plurality of card receivers associated with each magazine, means for feeding the cards from both card magazines to the associated card receivers, a common drive for operating the card feeding means, card deflector means associated with at least one of the card receivers of each sorter, a manually settable operating element driven from the common drive for controlling the operation of the deflector means in accordance with the setting thereof and comprising a rotary disc associated with one of the sorters, a plurality of manually adjustable pins extending through the disc setta'ble manually in an end-' ise direction into actuating or non-actu t ng P i n, detent means for holding the p ns i t p s tion in wh s'h they are set, a card deflector lever having arm disposed in the pa h of the pins disposed in a tua ing positio s as to be tripped thereby, and means contr l ed y sai lever for operating the card deflector means of both sorters.

3. In a device for sorting statistical cards, a pair of independent card sorters each comprising a card magazine, a plurality of card receivers associated with each magazine, means for feeding the cards from both card magazines to the associated card receivers, a common drive for operating the card feeding means, card deflector means associated with at least one of the card receivers of each sorter, a manually settable operating element driven from the common drive for controlling the operation of the deflector means in accordance with the setting thereof, said element being settable to operate said deflector means in a selected one of a plurality of predetermined frequency ratios with relation to the operation of said feeding means, and separate means controlled by the settable operating element effective to control simultaneously the respective card deflector means.

4. In a device for sorting statistical cards, a pair of independent sorters each comprising a card magazine,

a plurality of card receivers associated with each magazine, means for feeding cards from both card magazines to the associated card receivers, a common drive for operating the card feeding means, card deflector means associated with at least one of the card receivers of each sorter, a manually settable operating element driven from the common drive for controlling the operation of a deflector means in accordance with the setting thereof, said element being settable to operate said deflector means in a selected one of a plurality of predetermined frequency ratios with relation to the operation of said feeding means, separate means controlled by the settable element efiective to control the respective card deflector means, and manually operable means independent of the settable operating element for blocking one of the card deflector control means to prevent the operation thereof while the other deflector control means is functioning.

5. In a device for sorting statistical cards, a pair of independent card sorters each comprising a card magazine, a plurality of card receivers associated with each magazine, means for feeding the cards from both card magazines to the associated card receivers, a common drive for operating the card feeding means, card deflector means associated with at least one of the card receivers of each sorter, an operating element associated with each of said deflector means, said elements when actuated moving the associated deflector means to an effective card deflecting position, an actuating element engaging one of said operating elements and effective when operated for actuating the engaged operating element, manually settable control means driven by said common drive means for operating said actuating element at a predetermined frequency ratio in relation to the operation of said card feeding means, said control means including a rotable member and pins adjustably settable within said rotatable member, said pins when set in an active position being disposed to engage and operate said actuating element upon rotation of said rotatable member, a coupling device including a link operatively connecting said actuating element with the other of said operating elements, said link yieldably responding to the operation of said actuating element to actuate said other operating element, and trip means settable to disable said coupling device, said trip means including a blocking member engageable with said link to prevent the actuation of said link and said other operating element irrespective of the operation of said actuating element by said control means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,090,437 Wood Mar. 17, 1914 1,502,993 Lasker July 29, 1924 1,529,860 Angell Mar. 17, 1925 1,868,894 Glahn July 26, 1932 1,989,049 Youngberg Ian. 22, 1935 2,034,010 Thomas Mar. 17, 1936 2,260,097 Thomas Oct. 21, 1941 2,434,512 Page et al. Jan. 13, 1.948 2,636,622 Saxe Apr. 28, 1953 

